Electric fluid heater



March 28, 1933. w J BAKER ELECTRIC FLUID HEATER Filed Sept. 18, '1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor A tlomey March 28, 1933. w. J. BAKER ELECTRIC FLUID HEATER Filed Sept. 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor WALTER J BAKER By ga A Home y Patented Mar. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES WALTER J. BAKER, F WYGKOFF, NEW JERSEY ELECTRIC FLUID HEATER Application filed September 18, 1931.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in fluid heaters, and more particularly it pertains to fluid heaters of the electrical type.

It is one of the objects of the present in- Vention to provide anew and improved electric fluid heater which although capable for use in the general applications of heating fluids, is particularly adapted for use in connection with heating radiators of the hot water type.

It is one of the primary objects of the invention to provide a fluid heater which will a a be simple in construction and which can be economically manufactured.

It is a further object of the invention so to construct a fluid heater that it may be readily assembled and disassembled for various purposes such as repair, change of heat elements and the like.

It is a still further object of the invention so to construct a device of this character that even though it is highly eflicient, it will occupy but little space.

WVith the above and other objects in view, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a fluid heater constructed in accordance with one form of the present invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the heating element,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a slightly modified form of the invention, and

Figure 5 is a top plan View of that form shown in Figure 4.

Referring main to the drawings and more specifically to *igures 1 to 3, the device comprises an outer casing 10 having a fluid inlet 1 11 and a fluid outlet 12. Preferably pipes 13 and 14 respectively extend from the fluid inlet and outlet to a radiator or similar heating device not herein shown.

One end such as 16 of the housing, is open, and is internally threaded as at 17 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Serial No. 563,600.

Adjacent the open end 16, the housing is provided on its interior with an annular beveled shoulder 18 preferably formed as an integral part of the housing.

The reference character 20 designates the heating element, and this heating element comprises a porcelain or other suitable nonconducting body portion 21 having an enlarged oppositely beveled portion 22 which extends annularly therearound. The body portion of this member is preferably cylindri cal in form and is provided with a plurality of grooves which extend spirally therearound and are adapted to receive an electrical conductor such as 24. The conductor 24 is connected at one end as at 25 to an electrical conductor 26 which extends through the member 21 and has a terminal 27. The opposite end of the conductor 24 may be connected as at 28 to a similar conductor 29 which has a terminal 30. Suitable electric conductors 31 are connected to the terminals 27 and 30 to supply electric current to the resistance conductor 24 and thereby set up a heating of the resistance conductor 24 and a consequent heating of the fluid passing through the outer casing 10. r

The heating element is positioned in the outer casing 10 by insertion through the open end thereof until its enlarged annular portion 21 rests upon the annular shoulder 18 of the casing. After this has been done, an externally threaded ring 35 has engagement with the thread 16 and when screwed home will firmly hold the heating element in place in the outer casing. If desired gaskets 36 may be employed between the contacting parts to provide a fluid tight joint and also to pro vide a cushion for the heating element. After the heating element has been placed in position as shown in Figure 1, a cover plate such as 37 and which is secured by screws or the like 38 may be positioned over the open end of the outer casing.

In that form of the invention illustrated in Figure 4, the heating element is of the same type as heretofore described but in this form of the invention it is mounted within the outer casing 10 in a slightly different manner. In this last mentioned form of the invention,

a jacket 40 is employed and said jacket 40 is. 166

provided with an annular beveled shoulder 41 upon which the enlarged oppositely beveled portion 22 of the heating element rests. In this form of the invention the jacket 40 is closed and completely incloses the heating element and prevents the fluid being heated from coming in contact with the heating element. The jacket lO is screw threaded'as at 4:4 and these threads are adapted to engage the threads 16 of the outer casing 10 to se cure the jacket in position: Atter the jacket has been secured in position, the heating element is secured in position by means of a removable ring like member 45 which is secured in place by means of screws or the like 46 and which has a beveled end wall which bears down upon the enlarged beveled portion 22 or the gasket interposed therebetween.

Thus it will be a part that the-present invention providesa new and improved form of fluid heater in which the heating elements whether of the type which has direct engagement with the fluid being heated or of the type in which the heating element is pro tected therefrom is entirely removable from the heater proper.

Vihile the invention has closed inits preferred forms, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction herein shown and that it may be practiced in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. An electric fluid heater comprising an outer casing having afluid inlet and a fluid outlet, an internal flangeextending around said casing, a heating element, an enlarged annular portion on said heating element for engagement with said flange, and means having threaded engagement with said outer casing for securing said heating element in engagement with said flange.

2. An electric fluid heater comprising an outer casing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, an internal flange extending around said casing, a heating element, an enlarged annular portion on said heating element for engagement with said flange, and means having threaded engagement with said outer casing for securing said heating element in engagement with said flange, said last mentioned means comprising an externally threaded ring member threadable into one end of the outer casing.

3-. An electric fluid heater comprising an outer casing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a heating element, a jacket therefor, means for securing the jacket within said outer casing, and means torsecuring said heating element in said j acket, said last mentioned means'comprising an annular der internally of said jacket, and a ring member removably attached to said jacket.

been herein disshoul-c 4:. An electric fluid heater comprising an outer casing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a heating element, an enlarged annular portion on said heating element, a. jacket for the heating element, an internal annular shoulder forming a part of said jacket, and against which the enlarged annular portion of the heating element is adapted to engage,

and means removably engaged with said jacket and having engagement with the enlarged portion of the heating unit to secure the same in position in the jacket. 1

5; An electric fluid heater comprising an outer casing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a heating element, an enlarged annular portion on said heating element, a acket for the heatingelement, an internal annular shoulder forming a portion of said jacket with which the enlarged annular portion of the heating element is adapted to engage, and means removably engaged with said jacket and having engagement with the enlarged portion of the heating unit to secure the same in position in the jacket, and means for removably securing said heating unit and its jacket as a unitary structure in said outer casing. v

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

- ,VVALTER J. BAKER. 

